I'm a simple emigrant and I love marmalade

In modern Germany it is not customary to bring marmalade to kindergarten or school as a treat, because it contains animal gelatin, and therefore is not suitable for halal and vegan diets. The fact that someone invented a candy based on boiled pig skins simply does not rest easy with me, and the enormous variety of Haribo in local supermarkets hints that this is somehow connected with Germany. It turned out not exactly so. Gelatin itself, as a neutral food additive, began to be produced in the 19th century, thanks to the discovery by a French scientist. And the modern marmalade, which could be chewed for a long time without tiring the teeth, was invented by a German confectioner. In 1920 in Bonn Hans Riegel started his business after he was fired from a factory. He wanted to create a cheap and simple candy. Then he invented boiling marmalade based on gelatin, which would make the candy elastic and soft, and thus long-lasting. That same year Hans registered the HARIBO company, taking the initials: Hans Riegel Bonn. Haribo's first success was Tanzbär—a large soft dancing bear, inspired by trained bears from fairs. Back then it was boiled manually in copper pots right on a home marble stove, and sold on the street from a cart. But to children all of this was not important—they immediately fell in love with this new candy, and HARIBO gradually grew wealthy. Next came World War II. The business had to be reduced, despite the fact that HARIBO, like other companies at the time, used forced labor. But after the founder's death at the age of 52, his wife managed the interim administration. And then the sons, who had returned from captivity, restarted the family business. And in the 1960s the Goldbear appeared. The Golden bear became cuter and started to be more associated with a child's toy, and production became mass-produced and bears were sold literally everywhere. But I think two things helped the success the most: innovation in creating transparent packaging with a golden frame – that really made them stand out among competitors, and the timing. At that time in Germany the era of consumerism began, and the marmalade bears, as a taste of childhood, gained their moment in the sun both in the country and far beyond its borders. Today HARIBO has branches all over Europe. The company produces more than 100,000 tons of marmalade per year, enough to circle the equator many times. All the time the company has been absorbing small European confectionery producers, and now it has 18 factories with more than 6,000 employees. HARIBO's turnover is over 2 billion euros, yet the company remains family-owned and run by descendants. In Germany HARIBO is loved almost as much as beer: flagship stores in Bonn and Berlin attract locals and tourists, there were plans to open a theme park, but the idea was postponed. And the slogan “Haribo macht Kinder froh – und Erwachsene ebenso” (Children rejoice – and adults alike) is familiar to everyone here, even I sang it just now! And do you love gummy bears? #history #madeinGermany #food